Belfast man admits raping 12-year-old girl, according to affidavit

BELFAST, Maine — A man recently released from jail for molesting a 4-year-old now faces up to 30 years in jail for allegedly raping a 12-year-old girl.

Scott Brian Ritter, 23, of Belfast was arrested on Dec. 1 and charged with Class A gross sexual assault, which is punishable by up to 30 years in jail and a fine of up to $50,000.

“It’s the most serious crime we have in Maine other than murder,” Judge John Kennedy told Ritter on Friday during the suspect’s first court appearance on the charge. Ritter entered no plea and awaits the court’s appointment of a lawyer to represent him.

According to a police affidavit released Friday, Ritter told police he forced a 12-year-old he then was living with to have sex with him in September.

“Scott said he knew that [the girl] was 12 years old and was sorry for forcing [her] to have sex,” states the police affidavit. “Scott said he knew that it was wrong and he knew that [the girl] did not want him doing what he was doing as she told him no.”

Ritter appeared Friday in District Court by videoconference from Two Bridges Regional Jail in Wiscasset, where he remains.

Kennedy set bail Friday at $50,000 cash or $100,000 surety.

Waldo County Deputy District Attorney Eric Walker said he did not expect Ritter would be released from jail, even if he could come up with the bail, because he also would be charged with violating probation again.

According to court documents, Ritter was convicted of unlawful sexual touching involving a 4-year-old in 2009. He was given a four-year sentence with all but nine months suspended and was ordered to serve 12 years of probation. He was released from jail in July but admitted last month to violating his probation by drinking alcohol and smoking marijuana. For that violation, he served another 24 days in jail before his release Nov. 26.

Just four days later, he was arrested and charged with gross sexual assault against the 12-year-old girl.